Filipina Soul

Breaking News from the Inquirer:
AS TENS of thousands of foreigners were fleeing the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon in one of the biggest mass evacuations since World War II, thousands of Filipinos yesterday remained trapped in the country, their embassy increasingly isolated after cellular phone networks were knocked out during bombing raids.
Only three landlines, a fax line and satellite phone are left working at the Philippine Embassy because of continued airstrikes, so Embassy officials are appealing to families of the stranded Filipinos so refrain from calling so the lines can be used for more urgent communication.
Instead these are the HOTLINES TO …read more

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YEY!
Filipina Soul wrote two posts about genetics research by Filipinos on maple syrup urine disease and familial hypercholesterolemia  as a blog carnival for fellow B5′er Genetics and Health under the ”protein” section (practical genetics applications).
Research on human diseases is very much alive in the Philippines.
And then, DNA Direct Talk got wind of that and featured our MSUD post as a discussion on rare genetic disorders.
Research such as this is exciting — it can make pre-conception carrier testing possible, not to mention how awareness of ethnic risk increases the likelihood of early postnatal diagnosis.
Thanks, Dr. Lei, and Lisa Lee! ’Tis a nice feel when our …read more

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Over the weekend, the Philippines watched as news unraveled about the release of 20 Filipino seamen who have been taken hostage in Somalia. They were held hostage for almost four months by pirates who seized them when their oil tanker was offloading cargo at a Somali port. Now, the men are on their way home and in good health, according to the Inquirer (Inq7.net).
Although the Philippines is on a no-ransom policy, speculation floated on whether ransom was paid. According to Roy Cimatu, the government’s special envoy to the Middle East, the owners of the ship negotiated for the release of …read more

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To most Filipinos, pairing alcohol with food will mean – San Miguel beer with peanuts, korniks, or “pulutan” (an appetizer).
Now I don’t drink beer at all and I’m not a big wine drinker, although I do find that a good wine makes a delicious dish taste even better. I’ve mostly had wine with Italian, Japanese, even some American cuisine, but for a Filipino course?
This is totally offbeat for me.
What wine pairs well with “sinigang sa sugpo” (shrimp sour soup)?!
Bokisch Rosado, a rosé made with hints of rose petals and fresh strawberries with a floral aroma but dry palette.
Apparently, according to …read more

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If you are a superhero, who would you choose to be, to change the Philippines? Will you be Wonder Woman, so you can lasso all the bad guys? Batman, or Robin perhaps, or a modern day mutant Robin Hood to defend the helpless against the corrupt? Or, as Superman?
If you have superhuman superpower, how would you change the Philippines? BUT does it really take superhuman strength to get our country “out of the dark”, as Gary V sang once upon a time?
Sometimes I fantasize that way.. “if only I were…” However, I’M NOT. But just because I’m an ordinary citizen …read more

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Right on the heels of the opening of the Philippine-Korean Cultural Center in Seoul comes the Bahay Kubo Center for Philippine Culture and Arts in California.
From the Asian Journal:

BAHAY Kubo Center for Philippine Culture and Arts, a nonprofit organization that was established in 2005 by alumni and friends of the University of the Philippines, is set to open on Saturday, July 15, 2006, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. (and every Saturday thereafter) at 10630 Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills, CA 91345.

Language classes, arts and crafts and cultural activities will be offered.
Tags: Bahay Kubo Center, Philippine culture

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Typhoon ‘Florita’ left Philippine territory on Thursday (Manila time), but not without leaving some people dead and thousands displaced.

TYPHOON “Florita” (international codename Bilis) blew out of the country on Thursday, leaving 10 people confirmed dead, 10 others injured, and two children missing, disaster officials said.
Floods brought by Florita’s torrential rains also displaced at least 22,762 persons and caused around 28,745,000 pesos in damage to roads and bridges in Baguio City, Benguet province, Mountain Province and Ilocos Norte province.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones and those who have yet to return to their homes.
[Source: …read more

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By 2015, as envisioned, a cup or 160 gram of what would be genetically engineered cooked rice can give the poor – who would often content themselves with rice alone for their diet – the combined nutrients from a slice of steak, a piece of prawn, a fried egg, some vegetables and fruits.

The Golden Rice (on the right, with a distinctly yellow/golden color) is a genetically engineered rice developed in 1999 with a very high concentration of betacarotene. This rice will be further fortified with protein, vitamin E, zinc and iron via genetic engineering and breeding in a new global project called ProVitaMinRice Consortium. …read more

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I’ve met quite a few Koreans over the years, and am fascinated by their unique culture. Koreans are a friendly bunch. When I was in U.P. Diliman, there were many Korean students studying the English language. I learned to appreciate kimchi from a Korean pastor, and now frequently visit a Korean restaurant in town.
So reading about a Philippine-Korean Cultural Center which seeks to encourage friendly interactions among Koreans and Filipinos adds a happy note to my day. The center opened on July 1 in Socho-dong, southern Seoul.

The cultural center, the first of its kind in Korea, includes a library, an …read more

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Can it really be? Is Kris Aquino leaving showbiz for her PBA star husband James Yap?!
YAP. That’s what the Journal Online said.
Star Cinema’s Sukob will be Kris’s last film and she will concentrate on her talk and game show hosting to give commitment to her family.
Kris is seen practically everyday on TV. Her repertoire includes Pilipinas Game Ka Na Ba? six days a week, The Buzz on Sunday, and another game show, Kapamilya: Deal Or No Deal.

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